Optimum Diet and Nutrition
Food is the fuel that keeps all our life processes going. The quality of this fuel affects the performance and longevity of our bodies!!
Diet in this context refers to the food and drink a person consumes daily and the mental and physical circumstances connected to eating.
Nutrition involves more than simply eating a “good” diet—it is about nourishment on every level.
Proper nutrition helps keep energy levels up and protects against many age-related illnesses and diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Portion Control!
Do more!
- Eat more vegetables, nuts, seeds, wholegrains. Helps reduce cholesterol, balance your blood sugar and blood pressure. The fibre is essential for your gut health.
- Increase the variety of sources of your food to maximise nutrition.
- Less red meat especially fried. Cut out or decrease amount processed food…bacon, ham, biscuits, sausage.
- Omega -3 oils are essential to health so include fish especially oily ones in your diet e.g. mackerel, sardines. You also get them in nuts and seeds.
- Industrial food processing can create trans-fat, look out for hydrogenated fats in ingredients on food labels and avoid products with it.
Eat a Rainbow and a Variety of Sources of Fruit and Veg
Reduce or Watch
- Reduce deep frying. (better options: sauté, bake, roast, steam)
- Drink Lots of Water (67-75% of our bodies is made of water, 82% of our blood is water. Water is the medium in which virtually all the chemical reactions take place in)
- Cut down on Alcohol (when it breaks down it is converted to sugar! No nutrients but loads of calories. The excess glucose can be converted to fat by your liver and can be stored anywhere in your body including around your heart.
- Remember if you need to control your blood sugar level then honey or any other natural sugar substitute will still raise your blood sugar level.
- Don’t forget to read labels when shopping…remember ingredients are written in descending order of the percentage in product e.g if sugar is 3rd then quantity is high etc.
- Avoid eating late. Digestion takes 6-8hrs for your gut to be empty and it also uses a lot of energy. Let it rest! This also helps balance your blood sugar.